The Luna Choosing Game by Jane Above Story

Chapter 0525

With Nathan gone, some of the guilt set upon me. Nathan had been gaslighting me, I knew that. Bridget's actions were not my responsibility, but his words had given me a measure of discomfort inside of my chest.

Even though Bridget's actions hadn't been directly caused by me, she was likely acting a bit more aggressively out of jealousy. Nicholas had come to my defense, but did not do the same for her, even when she tried to push the issue.

It wasn't my fault, and she should have behaved more like an adult. But I could sympathize with her hurt feelings. It would pain me greatly to have Nicholas defend someone else and not me.

But my sympathy stopped short when I remembered all that Bridget had done to me, and also that her incident tonight could have been so easily avoided.

Nicholas touched his hand to the small of my back. "You alright?" he asked me

"I'm fine," I told him. I wanted to thank him for all that he'd done for me, yet when I went to speak once more, Elva tugged on Nicholas's hand instead.

"Look, Nick-lass! Dolphins!"

He gave me a small smile, which I retumed. Then he let himself be pulled closer to the railing. Out in the water beyond, dolphins breeched the water. They chased alongside the boat like they were making a game of it.

Exhausted, I looked for a place to sit down. I saw one beside Veronica. Julian had chosen to stand near her, and they were chatting. Veronica held a book on her lap, that was strangely dry for where it must have come from.

Did the merfolk use magic to enchant their books, keeping them safe from the salt water?

Curious, I came closer to the pair. Veronica immediately patted the empty seat beside her. I must have looked as tired as I felt. I flopped down in the seat and then thanked her.

"Veronica was just telling me some of what she leamed," Julian filled me in.

it was time for us to leave," Veronica said, "But when I told her I was interested in learning

Or perhaps the keeper of libraries simply

words were hand-written in a tight, neat scrawl. Some pictures and diagrams were added

far that this is very old magic. Even older than the magic I know and use." She looked at me. "It makes me believe the mystic might know of

mystic now." She never

put it past her to show up when you least expect it," Julian said. "She told you, what? That she'd come to you

I nodded in assent.

go," Julian said. "You still have fear in your heart, so

there was still hope that she might reappear. Though, admittedly, I was still a

unfair to think that, I knew. The mystic had done nothing to me, as far as I knew, and as merfolk valued truth so highly, she was unlikely lying to me.

web of doubts and more doubts, with such a tiny glimmer

must have been able to tell. "I'll read through this as quickly as I can. When I can understand more of the merfolk magic, we

Veronica," I said, and meant

soft smile, a rare expression from her.

through their dishonest tactics. I doubt

any upper hand we could achieve

do my best to study,"

his hand on her shoulder. He didn't say anything, but

soft red dusted across Veronica's

Elva most of all. She yawned bigly, then curled up against my side on the chair, even

up into my arms